Stigma Scale

What it measures

Measures beliefs about how most people in society devalue and discriminate against individuals with mental illness. Captures anticipated and perceived stigma — what people believe others think and do regarding mental health conditions. Widely used in stigma and help-seeking research.

Response format

Likert (1–4, strongly agree to strongly disagree); total 12–48

Representative items

• Most people believe that a person who has been in a mental hospital is just as intelligent as the average person. (R)
• Most people believe that a person who has been mentally ill is just as trustworthy as the average citizen. (R)
• Most employers will pass over the application of a person who has been mentally ill in favour of another applicant.
• Most people would not hire a babysitter who had been mentally ill, even if he or she had been successfully treated.
• Most teenagers would not want to date someone who has been mentally ill.

Usage notes & scoring

(R)=reverse-scored. Higher scores = greater perceived stigma. Freely available. Widely used in research on mental health stigma, help-seeking delay, and the impact of diagnostic labels. Often paired with self-stigma measures (e.g., Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale).

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Link, B.G. (1987). Understanding labeling effects in the area of mental disorders: An assessment of the effects of expectations of rejection. American Sociological Review, 52(1), 96–112.

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